The South western news. (Dawson, GA.) 188?-1889, 1887-10-26
THE CONVICT-CATCHERS.
Big Yellow Dogs Employed to Chase
Runaway Prisoners in Alabama


Runaway Prisoners in Alabama.
There is something besides moral
suasion and good treatment on which
the lessees of the convicts at Pratt
! Mines rely to maintain the safe keeping
of their 700 prisoners. With only a
! high fence between the convicts and the
woods, with all the chances of escaping
the bullets from single rifle in break
| for liberty, it seems strange that more
attempts are not made. The explana-
ton is found in the presence of the big
| legged, long-eared yellow hounds which
! lie about the stockade. The Pratt Mines
! people pride themselves ON having the
finest trailers in the State if not in the
entire south. One mans time is taken
in breeding and training, and the strain
is maintained in all its purity. These
! dogs loaf about the stockade yard,
mingling with the convicts. There are
on the best terms in the world with
them. Every one of these men in stripes
raight walk out of prison and the trailers
would only beat their tails approvingly
upon the ground and look dogs good
by. There isn't anything of the watch
dog instinct about them. They are ut
terly worthless save for one thing. They
lie in the shade and sleep and eat.
They do not even fight among them
selves. But let them be called out and
| the trail be given them. 1t matters not
| whose trail it is.
In this connection Mr.. Simmons tells
some interesting things about following
| the hounds. He has had years of ex-
perience. ''Ihe only difficulty" he
says, els in the first 200 yards of the
chase. 1t seems to take that distance
for the dogs to get the scent fixed. If
we put the dogs on trail, and before
they have covered the 200 yards they
come to where somebody has crossed
the course of the one we are following,
there is danger that they will leave the
right trail and go after the wrong per
son. But when the first 200 yards have
been covered the chase is pretty sure.
1t doesn't matter then if many persons
have crossed the path of the prisoner;
the dogs follow the scent without any
doubt. AS they run their blood warns
up and they grow surer."
Mr.. Simmons was asked about the
various devices adopted to throw the
dogs off the scent. ''Dogs Of pure
breed and good training" he replied,
sit is almost impossible to throw off.
Dragging brush behind will not do it.
l have trailed men through running
water, and even ON horseback. One of
the very few cases have known of get
ting away was where the prisoner
jumped into wagon. That threw the
dogs off. We have trailed prisoners
right into and through the streets of
Birmingham. That, Of course, is hard.
Hundreds of people may have tramped
over the ground after the convict has
passed. On the dirt roads of the coun-
try the trail is easily followed, and in
the woods it is impossible to get away.
We ran a negro into big swamp one
time. He got on a mule and rode nine
miles, then got off and ran, but the
dogs followed the trail without break.
''The scent which the dogs follow
must be in the feet" Mr.. Simmons
said in reply to another question.
CATER that negro [ have just spoken of
| got on the mule the dogs kept his trail
by jumping up and smelling the bushes
where his feet touched as herode along.
Changing shoes dosen't help man any.
The dogs are not thrown off by that
trick. The bigger ears they have the
truer they are on the trail. When they
have run while they get hot and mad.
If they overtake convict then they
will do him harm"
at is claimed in some of the Georgia
camps that the hounds don't bite-that
they only bay when they come up with
the convict, was suggested"
"Ihat isn't true with the true breed
of trailers. They will take hold if they
come on the man while they are hot,
and will tear him. The bites make bad
wounds; they are very apt to tester.
When we start the dogs out we follow
them Just as hard as we can, to see that
they don't iniure the convict. Usually
he takes to tree. When we come up
we drive the dogs back. AS soon as they
cool off little they are harmless"
Hanging up in the stockade yard is a
queer-looking object. At little dis.
lance it might be taken for bundle of
life preservers. It is a heavily padded
suit of clothes. Once week, or pos
sibly little oftener, a convict is dressed
in the padded suit aud told to go. He
is given q two-hours start usually.
Then the dogs are led out and shown
the trail. Away they go. twelve or fif-
to be on hand that evening with my
slnoe. He was more gracious in his
Olnner, and gave me some money as
guarantee of good faith. l did not know
Mat was to be party to an elopement
, might have objected to doing 6
wrong action against Col. Taylor, fol
shom l had the highest regard. II
came about, hoNfve that 1 was at the
slough after the sun went down, and
waited patiently for the young officer.
81 had waited some time when heard
footsteps, and turning, l saw jeff Davis
and Col. Taylor's daughter hurrying to
ward me- Not word was spoken as he
lifted her tenderlyto a seat in the canoe,
and / followed, taking up my paddle
We went down the slough to where il
joined the river. The young woman
began to cry softly as we swept into the
stream, and Jeff drew her head over OF
his shoulder as he spoke to her in 6
soothing voice. Across the river We
drifted, and the sound of my paddle
could not be heard ft1rlong away. No
a loud word was spoken in that silen
voyage, and | was at loss to under
stand the whole affair. We kept OF
across the river, and every few moments
took occasion to glance around to SEE
how my passengers were getting along
The girl had ceased her crying, and by
the way she rested her head on the hos